1. Technical Field
The invention relates to an apparatus for loosening a closure from a container and to the method of loosening a closure from a container. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for loosening a closure from a medicine bottle and to the method of loosening a closure from a medicine bottle. Even more particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for loosening a child resistant closure from a medicine bottle, and to the method of loosening a child resistant closure from a medicine bottle.
2. General Background
Today, people are living longer than ever. In 1940, the life expectancy was estimated at 62.9 years. Currently, the estimated life expectancy is 75.7 years. One reason that people are living longer is the availability of medications for the control or prevention of certain diseases or ailments. Most medications, as well as harmful materials such as cleaning fluids, are contained in packaging having childresistant closures. Such closures, while extremely successful in preventing the accidental opening by a child are, unfortunately, often difficult to open by a person suffering from arthritis. Individuals having limited dexterity in their hands and fingers also experience difficulty when attempting to open these closures.
3. Background Art
Devices for assisting the arthritic or disabled with the removal of child resistant closures on bottles such as prescription bottles are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,258 discloses a bottle opening device comprising a flat base member which is adapted to be secured to a counter top or the like by suction cups, a support member secured to an upper surface of the base member having a horizontally disposed slot extending there through and an elongated strap secured at one end of the support. The strap is adapted to extend about the periphery of a bottle and pass through the slot. Upon rotation of the lid and bottle in an opening direction, the strap will immobilize the bottle so that upon continued application of turning force to the lid, the lid will be unscrewed from the bottle. One drawback of the bottle opening device of the xe2x80x2258 patent is that a turning force must be applied to the lid in order to unscrew the lid from the bottle. A person with arthritis or with limited use of her hands or fingers would not be able to apply such a turning force.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,831 discloses a device for holding a container while applying torque specifically to the closure in the direction of the opening. The device as disclosed in the xe2x80x2831 patent comprises a containment portion having a container around which is looped a containment friction strap. The containment friction strap is looped tightly around the container. This tight loop is obtained either by hand or by the force of friction caused when the containment friction strap is in contact with the container. A motor drive causes a locked head assembly to rotate the container until the container and the friction strap loop become wedged into the front walls of the containment portion. Once the container is so wedged, the container is therefore prevented from rotating further. Torque applied to the closure results in its removal from the container. There are several drawbacks to the opener disclosed in the xe2x80x2831 patent.
The first drawback is that the containment portion does not contain a substantially slip resistant pad. Slippage of the container is prevented by wedging the container into the front walls of the containment portion. Another drawback in the opener disclosed in the xe2x80x2831 patent is that the container is opened by applying torque to the lid of the container. Applying such a torque can be difficult to achieve for a person suffering from arthritis or otherwise having limited use of her hands or fingers. Yet another drawback in the opener disclosed in the xe2x80x2831 patent is in the containment friction strap. Containers which are very large would require a very large containment friction strap to loop around the circumference of a container. Such a large containment friction strap would not be operational. Another drawback of the opener disclosed in the xe2x80x2831 patent is found in the preferred embodiment of the xe2x80x2831 patent. This embodiment comprises an electric drive head motor. Such an embodiment is not only costly, but also is not user friendly. A person suffering from arthritis or otherwise having limited use of her fingers or hands would have difficulty plugging the xe2x80x2831 patent into an appropriate electrical source. Yet another drawback of the opener disclosed in the xe2x80x2831 patent is found in an alternative embodiment. In the alternative embodiment, a manual handle or torque wrench is used to apply torque to the torque head. As with the preferred embodiment, manipulation of the manual handle or torque wrench is difficult for a person suffering from arthritis or otherwise having limited use of her hands.
The present invention overcomes the foregoing problems by providing an improved method and apparatus for loosening a closure from a container, in particular by providing an improved method and apparatus for loosening a closure from a medicine bottle and more particularly by providing an improved method and apparatus for loosening a child resistant closure from a medicine bottle.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for opening a closed container composed of a vessel and a safety cap with a push and twist opening system. The apparatus comprises a foundation, an adjusting platform mounted to the foundation, a rotating base with a handle which is mounted on a platform in a manner such that the base may be rotated horizontally, a vertical post which is permanently mounted to foundation, an arm to support a cap gripping means, a pin connector for attaching the vertical post to the arm, a leveling hinge which connects the cap gripping means to the arm, a cap gripping means supported by the arm and a screw mechanism positioned within the foundation for raising and the lowering adjusting platform.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for loosening safety closures from containers is provided. The apparatus comprises a foundation, a base for receiving a container rotatably attached to the foundation, the base defining a handle and comprising a surface with a substantial portion of the surface covered with a substantially slip resistant pad, a vertical post, an arm being pivotally connected to the vertical post and a cap gripping means having a surface with a substantial portion of the surface covered with a substantially slip resistant pad.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a method for opening a closed container composed of a vessel and a safety cap is provided. The closed container is positioned on the base in a manner such that the vessel of the container is placed in contact with the base and the safety cap is in contact with the cap gripping means. Sufficient pressure is applied to the cap gripping means to maintain contact between the base and the vessel of the container to be opened during the opening process. The handle of the base is held such that the base is turned in a clockwise direction. The contact of the cap gripping means is disconnected from the safety cap. The safety cap is then lifted form the vessel of the container.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a method of loosening safety closures from a container is provided. A container is provided, including a container body defining a container mouth and a container lid which connects the container lid to the container mouth to close the container mouth. The container is placed on the base of the apparatus for loosening safety closures from containers. The arm is adjusted such that the cap gripping means is in direct contact with the lid of the container. The gripping portion of the arm is then grasped so as to apply sufficient pressure to the cap gripping means to maintain the direct contact between the cap gripping means and the lid of the container, while at the same time the handle of the base is held and turned in a clockwise direction.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of loosening safety closures is provided. A container is provided, including a container body defining a container mouth and a container lid which connects the container lid to the container mouth to close the container mouth. The container is placed on the base of the apparatus for loosening safety closures from containers. The arm is adjusted so that it is received by the fixable height adjusting means such that the cap gripping means is in direct contact with the lid of the container. The gripping portion of the arm is then grasped so as to apply sufficient pressure to the cap gripping means to maintain the direct contact between the cap gripping means and the lid of the container, while at the same time the handle of the base is held and turned in clockwise direction.